Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 36 – Verse 40
Verſe 53. Then ſaid Jeſus unto them, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, Except ye eat the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Followeth Chriſts anſwer to this; Wherein he doth not alter his words, but preſſeth more and more the neceſſity of beleeving on him, and cloſing with him as crucified, under the tearmes of eating his fleſh and drinking his blood. And 1. He preſſeth it from their danger if they do it not, ver. 53. 2. He encourageth to it, by ſhewing the advantage thereof, verſe 54. 3. He proves the real advantage of feeding on him, verſe 55, 56, 57. 4. He concludes this Sermon with a recapitulation of ſomewhat ſaid before concerning the excellency and uſefulneſſe of this bread, verſe 58. Unto which the Evangeliſt ſubjoynes a deſignation of the place where Chriſt preached theſe things, verſe 59.
In this verſe he preſſeth the neceſſity of feeding on him, from the conſideration of their danger who neglect it; which is, that wanting this ſouls food, they can have no ſpiritual life in them, but are dead in their ſins. Whence learn, 1. Miniſters muſt not change nor alter their doctrine becauſe of mens humours; But let people quarrel as they will, they muſt preſſe it the more that it is oppoſed; for, Chriſt repeats the ſame doctrine in the ſame tearms, notwithſtanding their diſcontent. 2. Chriſt is not aſhamed of his ſtooping to take on our infirmities for our good; Therefore doth he deſigne himſelf the Sonne of man, not onelyonly to clear that his Incarnation was the way to make himſelf ours, and that we may expect good from him who is of our own nature, but to ſhew that he thought no ſhame of it, however they in diſdaine called him this man, or, this one, verſe 5…. 3. There is a daily ſpiritual feeding upon Chriſt by faith, neceſſary to ſalvation, as men muſt eat daily for preſervation of life; for, this is it which Chriſt preſſeth here in this Chapter and not (as ſome dreame) a Sacramental eating of his body, far leſſe, an eating of his fleſh in a corporal manner in the Sacrament; for, 1. The Sacramental eating was not yet inſtituted and appointed, and therefore could not be here inculcate. 2. This eating is ſo neceſſary to ſalvation and life, as none can have life without it, and all live who get it, verſe 54. But neither of theſe can be ſaid of Sacramental eating; For, before it was inſtitute, they who were ſaved went to heaven without it; Yea, and after it was inſtitute, many (and particularly children) have gone, and go to heaven, without it; and all are not ſaved who partake of it. Doctrine 4. Men will never feed on Chriſt for ſalvation in earneſt, unleſſe they look upon it as a matter of life and death; Therefore doth Chriſt ſo preſſe it upon them, and that with a Verily, verily. 5. It is the application of whole Chriſt, as incarnate, and in his ſufferings, that brings life. And Chriſt, being applied, will prove compleat nouriſhment: Therefore, having ſpoken before onelyonly of his fleſh, now he addes his blood, they muſt eate his fleſh and drink his blood: to ſhew, that they muſt apply him wholly, and that he will be compleat nouriſhment. 6. Such as do not make ſpiritual application of, nor feed upon Chriſt crucified, have no ſpiritual life or communion with God, but continue dead in their ſins, and ſhall not partake of eternal life; for, except ye eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you, they are already dead irrecoverably, unleſſe they make uſe of this remedy.
Verſe 54. Whoſo eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.
Chriſt having thus terrified them, doth now allure them to feed on him, by ſhewing the advantage of doing it, to wit, that they ſhall have eternal life in the bud, and ſhall be raiſed up at the laſt day, fully to enjoy it. Whence learn, 1. When Chriſt ſheweth himſelf terrible, and threatens us with danger, it is, but to fit us for the promiſe, and ſtir us up to make his offers welcome; Therefore doth he ſubjoyne this ſweet encouragement to the former ſad certification. 2. The ſincere application of Chriſt brings life; And though ſuch as apply him, do yet finde a body of death in themſelves, yet they are paſſed from death to life, and do enjoy a begun ſight of God, and heaven in part: for, whoſe eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, even here. 3. Such as do partake of this begun life, will not be ſatisfied with any thing they finde within time, till they come to full fruition; And Chriſt will raiſe them up, to enjoy the perfection of it, at the laſt day: Therefore it is added, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. 4. Such as cloſe with Chriſt, he will not onelyonly performe the promiſes which they are actually beleeving and expecting; but will do great things for them, when they are not ſenſible, nor able to cooperate: So much is imported in that he will raiſe him up, when his duſt is little ſenſible; nor can be active in that matter.
Verſe 55. For my fleſh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
To confirme the certainty of this encouragement, he ſubjoynes ſeverall arguments, which both prove the aſſertion, and are ſo many Motives to excite them to feed upon him. And 4. He brings a proofe that feeders on him have life from the excellency of this food, that it is not counterfeit but reall food, able to conferre and maintaine life. Whence Learn, 1. Albeit men do need bodily refreſhments, and (when they do not feed on Chriſt) will not want their own contentment; Yet all theſe, in compariſon of Chriſt, are but vaine and empty; They are but deceitfull meat, meat that periſheth, the beſt of them are but husks, and afford but ſhaddowes of that ſweetneſſe, refreſhment, ſtrength, and life, which he gives: So much doth this expreſſion, meat indeed, &c. Import, that albeit, beſides bodily refreſhments, and the lawfull contentment men may have in their outward enjoyments, they will alſo be putting other things in Chriſts roome; yet all theſe are not indeed what they ſeeme to be; when compared with him. 2. Whatever ſhaddow of excellency or contentment men finde in the creatures, the reality thereof is to be found in Chriſt, and him onelyonly; For, whatever they thought of meat and drink, all that, and much better, is to be found here, My fleſh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 3. This ſweetneſſe and excellency in Chriſt, ſhould allure needy ſoules to feed upon him; And Chriſts commending himſelfe for that end, ſheweth how well they are allowed ſo to do; Therefore doth he bring in this commendation, as a reaſon and encouragement to them to come, and an aſſurance that they ſhall finde life; for my fleſh is meat indeed, &c.
Verſe 56. He that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
A ſecond motive to feed on him, and reaſon to prove that feeders have life, is taken from the uninion that is betwixt Chriſt and feeders on him; That as meat is turned into the eaters ſubſtance, ſo they and Chriſt become one, and upon feeding, there followeth a mutual inhabitation. Whence learn, 1. Union with Chriſt doth produce in ſouls a life, begun in grace here, and to be perfected in glory; for, Chriſt brings this indwelling, as an argument to prove that feeders have life. 2. Albeit ſuch as do but taſte of Chriſt and his goodneſſe, may ſpit out again what they have taſted; yet true feeders will abide in him, by conſtant dependance, and uniting themſelves to him, that they may have life, and feeding will make up this union; for, he that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, feeding draweth him to abide more and more in Chriſt, and it makes up this union on the feeders part. 3. As the true feeder is united to Chriſt, and abides in him, ſo Chriſt alſo doth abide in him, by conſtant influence and quickening vertue, to make him live, and ſo the inhabitation is mutual; for, he dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Verſe 57. As the living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father: ſo, he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me.
A third reaſon proving that feeders have life, and that life flowes from union with Chriſt, is taken from Chriſts union with his Father, and his being ſent by him to do the office of a Mediatour. Wherein he declareth, that as the Father hath ſent him to be a Mediator and ſoul-feeder to beleevers, and as the Father who ſent him, liveth of himſelf, and he (the ſecond perſon) liveth by the Father, ſo they who feed on him, ſhall live by him. Of this doctrine ſee, in part, on chap. 5.26. Doctrine 1. It is a truth to be much preſſed, and wherein we have need to be well rooted, that life and ſpiritual well-being is to be had onelyonly in Chriſt embraced by faith, both as purchaſer and appliar; Therefore is this again inculcate, he that eateth me, ſhall live by me. 2. Chriſt is ſuch a fountain of vertue and life, that even the dead may expect life by cloſing with him; for, life, or, to live by him, is promiſed to feeders. 3. Such is a beleevers intereſt in Chriſt, that whatever Chriſt hath, ſhall be forthcoming for him, as he needs it; for, ſo doth the argument run, that as he liveth, ſo they ſhall live. See John 14.19. 4. The Fathers ſending of Chriſt into the world, to be the Redeemer and Saviour of his people, is a ſure pledge that feeders on him ſhall live; ſeeing he will not fruſtrate the Fathers end, but will do the work he is ſent about; Therefore is this uſed as an argument, the Father hath ſent me, &c. 5. As the Father hath a fountain of life in himſelf, and the Son hath the ſame life communicate to him, with his eſſence, from the Father, and this dwelleth in the man Chriſt, by the perſonal union; ſo this life of the Father and Chriſt is a pledge that beleevers ſhall live; for, as the living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father: ſo, he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me. Beleevers life muſt be ſure, for which there is ſuch a pledge, and that fulneſſe of the Godhead, and life, that dwels in the man Chriſt, cannot but put life, and preſerve life, in all that cloſe with him. Yea, Chriſts living by the Father is not onelyonly a pledge of our life, but our life holds alſo ſome proportion or ſimilitude to his: For as he hath life communicate by eternal generation, ſo by regeneration we are made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. to wit, in reſpect of qualities; as he ſubſiſts in his life, as man, by vertue of the perſonal union with the Godhead; ſo, do we live by vertue of the myſtical inhabitation, or union with God, by his Spirit: And, as he as man had a created life here, and now lives gloriouſly at the Fathers right hand; ſo by the gracious operation of Gods Spirit, we ſhall be made conforme to Chriſt, and partake of the ſame life for kinde. 6. Albeit in our application of Chriſt, we muſt begin at his croſſe and death; yet his whole perſon is forthcoming to make beleevers live; Therefore, in place of his fleſh and blood, he ſpeaks generally, he ſhall live by me, pointing at his whole perſon.